The Wenner-gren Foundation for
The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, Inc. is a private operating foundation dedicated to advancing anthropology throughout the world. Founded in 1941 by Swedish industrialist Axel Wenner-Gren as the Viking Fund and renamed in 1951, the Foundation is headquartered in New York City and serves as one of the major funding sources for international anthropological research. The Foundation actively engages with the anthropological community through varied grant, fellowship, networking, conference, and symposia programs.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$210.6M
+3.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.6M
+12.0% YoY
Grant Count
318
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
+9.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's three major goals are:
- Support significant and innovative anthropological research into humanity's biological and cultural origins, development, and variation
- Foster the creation of an international community of research scholars in anthropology
- Provide leadership at the forefronts of the discipline
The Foundation supports research across all branches of anthropology, including:
- Cultural and social anthropology
- Ethnology
- Biological and physical anthropology
- Archaeology
- Anthropological linguistics
The Foundation emphasizes theoretically-driven research that advances anthropological knowledge and amplifies the discipline's broader impact. It also founded and continues to publish the international journal Current Anthropology and disseminates symposia results through open-access supplementary issues of this journal.
Grantmaking
The Foundation offers multiple funding programs open to applicants regardless of citizenship or country of residence:
Grant Range
**: $5,000 - $40,000 (depending on program)
Review Cycle
for some programs
How to Apply
**: Online portal with fixed deadlines for some programs
Ready to take the next step with The Wenner-gren Foundation for?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
International (worldwide). The Foundation supports anthropological research globally and is open to applicants irrespective of nationality or country of residence.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Annual Giving: $5,932,749 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $210,553,751 | $204,451,756 | $197,815,854 |
| Revenue | $11,419,151 | $7,987,038 | $2,883,134 |
| Expenses | $12,327,662 | $12,135,414 | $11,193,776 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $12,890,800 | $10,834,780 | $10,647,228 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,843,340 | $6,332,828 | $2,361,151 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Wenner-gren Foundation for
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANILYN RUTHERFORD | PRESIDENT | 40 | $440,786 |
| MAUGHA KENNY | VP FINANCE & SECRETARY | 40 | $378,323 |
| BARBARA ROCKENBACH | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| MEREDITH JENKINS | VICE CHAIR & TREASURER (THRU MAY 2024) | 1 | — |
| JUSTIN ZAREMBY | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| KIELE NEAS | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH BRADLEY | TRUSTEE (FROM NOVEMBER 2024) | 1 | — |
| CASS CLIATT | TRUSTEE (THRU MAY 2024) | 1 | — |
| KRISTI CRAIG | TRUSTEE (FROM MAY 2024) | 1 | — |
| PHILIP DELORIA | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JANE DIETZE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN GILMORE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MANDE HOLFORD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| TURKULER ISIKSEL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| THOMAS LENEHAN | TRUSTEE (THRU MAY 2024) | 1 | — |
| ROBERT RAHBARI | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JAINEN THAYER | TRUSTEE (FROM MAY 2024) | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation has recently supported projects including:
**Global Initiatives Grant Report**: Capacity building and network expansion for the Pan-African Consortium for Human Evolution (PANACHE) Training Network
Global Initiatives Grant Report \u2013 Capacity Building and Network Expansion\**Global Initiatives Grant Report**: Publishing Indigenous and Black Brazilian Anthropologists in foreign languages
Global Initiatives Grant Report \u2013 Capacity Building and Network Expansion\**2023 Engaged Research Grant**: Recent winners announced
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2023 Engaged Research Grant! | Wenner-Gren**2022 Global Initiatives Grants**: Multiple approvals announced
Global Initiatives Grant Report \u2013 Capacity Building and Network Expansion\The Foundation continues to showcase recent recipients of Global Initiative Grants and maintains active engagement with grantees through final reporting requirements across all program areas.
Global Initiatives Grant Report \u2013 Capacity Building and Network Expansion\Contact Information
Address: 655 Third Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA
Phone: (212) 683-5000
Email:
- General inquiries: inquiries@wennergren.org
- Grant applications: applications@wennergren.org
Website: wennergren.org
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Wenner-gren Foundation for on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities